This Shirt
by Kitsune Moonstar
Summary: AU. The shirt was old and worn and the bright pink had faded over the years, but Nanao would never get rid of it.


Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU.

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**This Shirt**

Nanao absently tugged at the collar of the faded pink men's shirt she was wearing over her tank top. Momo caught the motion.

"You always wear that shirt when we do festival prep, Nanao-san. It's close to falling apart. Why don't you replace it?"

Rangiku overhead the question and laughed. The women's association of Shinigami Inc. was preparing for their annual spring festival. It was the association's main fundraiser for the year.

"Nanao won't ever replace that shirt. If she did, it would mean the apocalypse was approaching or something of the sort." The older woman smiled. "It would be like me taking off my necklace or Shunsui giving up sake. It's just not done."

Momo just looked confused. Nanao smiled. The young woman was still young enough that she probably didn't understand. The sheer amount of memories wrapped up in this shirt made it too precious to even think about discarding. It had been with her for a long time now and had gone through more events than she cared to remember. In so many ways this shirt was a tangible reminder of all she had been through and all she had gained since coming to work here.

The first time she had seen this shirt, it hadn't been hers. It had been on her boss. Nanao had just started at Shinigami Inc. as an intern. Lisa Yadomaru, the assistant department head at the time, had been showing her around the office when they had run into Shunsui Kyoraku, the head of the department. The man had looked more like someone who played music in a coffee shop than a corporate executive. The shirt had been bright pink then and worn over a black undershirt. He had immediately beamed at her catching her hand in both of his and inquired who this lovely young lady was and would she like to join him for a drink. Nanao had been even more horrified when Lisa had whacked the man in the shoulder with a thick book and ordered him to get back to work.

Nanao had quickly learned though that physical violence was one of the few ways to keep Kyoraku on track when it came to work, and that it really didn't hurt him all that much. She would grow accustomed to his constant flirting as well, though Nanao also would later realize that she was on the receiving end of far more of that than any other woman who came into contact with the man.

The second time she really remembered the shirt had been one of the few times she had actually lost her temper with Shunsui. It had been just after Lisa had left the company rather abruptly. Nanao hadn't known the details, but there had been rumors about corporate espionage. Nanao hadn't believed them, but they were there. Lisa had been her mentor, and her leaving without even a goodbye had hurt. Kyoraku had been depressed and useless since as well, and Nanao found herself holding the department together and running by herself for the most part despite the fact that she was technically only an intern. She had stalked into the office where Kyoraku had been brooding to ream him out. Nanao honestly didn't remember what she had said. One minute she had been screaming at him, and the next she was enfolded in his arms, sobbing into his pink shirt.

That had really been their beginning. It hadn't been more than a few weeks after that incident that Nanao found herself being hired. In less than a year she was the new assistant department head. The shirt began a regular sight for Nanao. It was clearly one of Kyoraku's favorite pieces of close. The shirt was a part of his identity along with the flirting, laziness, and drinking habits. They all soon became familiar to her. And some point along the way, they became endearing to her as well. She couldn't help becoming fond of her boss over the years despite the trouble and hassle he caused her.

And some where along the way, Nanao's feelings for him went from general affection to actual love. The shirt had been there when she realized that she was in love with Shunsui as well. They had been on a business trip to Italy and had been on the train four nearly four hours. Nanao kept dozing off then waking up because she couldn't get comfortable. About the third time it happened, Kyoraku had pulled off the pink shirt (he was wearing it over an undershirt) and folded it into a pillow for her. The shirt had smelled like him, sandalwood and cherry blossoms, and Nanao suddenly had realized that she wouldn't know what do if he wasn't there. Her nap had proved difficult after that, Nanao's mind awhirl with her new discoveries about her feeling for him.

However, it was quite a bit longer before any thing actually happened between them. Nanao was cautious when it came to her heart, and she had no reason to believe that she would hold Shunsui's interest once the chase was over. She wasn't the type of woman most men were interested in once she gave in to their advances. So instead, Nanao simply dedicated herself to her job with more intensity than usual and did her level best to keep any hint of her feelings from showing. She was pretty sure it hadn't completely worked, but Shunsui could be a patient man. It nearly a year and half after she had realized her feelings for him that things really changed.

Shunsui actually hadn't been wearing the shirt when that happened. He had been just about ready to leave for a political event his family was hosting. Nanao was actually running late and was dropping off his dry cleaning, which included the pink silk shirt, off at his house. His parents had also just shown up along with one of the things Nanao knew Shunsui dreaded: the parent chosen date. This time it was a tall, leggy brunette if Nanao remembered correctly; she hadn't exactly been paying attention. The woman had brush passed Nanao forcefully on the stairs, and Nanao, with her arms full of dry cleaning and her day timer, had stumbled then fallen a full eight stairs before landing. She could have sworn she heard something crack when she did.

It had hurt quite a bit, and Nanao had let out an involuntary whimper. The next thing she had known she had been scooped up in Shunsui's arms and carried over to a plush arm chair so he could inspect her injury. Despite her protests, Shunsui had insisted on personally taking her to the emergency room where she was admitted overnight and diagnosed with a broken ankle as well as a torn ligament. Shunsui had stayed with her the entire time, completely missing the event his family had wanted him at. She had tried to get him to leave, but he had replied that he needed to make sure she was going to be all right. Nanao had been rather affected by the pain medication which probably accounted for the flippant comment she made next.

"Because it would such a burden to have to do your own paperwork."

Shunsui had met her eyes then, capturing her attention even in the fog caused by the drugs.

"I can always get someone else to run my office. You are not replaceable in anyway."

It was the look in his eyes that convinced her. The drugs pulled her into sleep before she could really do anything, but when she woke the next morning, Shunsui was still there, and Nanao was willing to take a chance on him. Things had progressed from there. It was slow going because she was cautious by nature. Nanao soon found that it in deed had been worth the risk. She couldn't remember being as happy as she was. She enjoyed her work, and now she had something other than a cat and a good book to come home to.

It was shortly after she had started spending her nights at his place that the shirt became her shirt. Nanao's internal clock did not allow for sleeping in most mornings, and she had simply grabbed what was most convenient when she got up and headed to the kitchen to fix her morning tea. Shunsui had come upon her about twenty minutes later perched in the breakfast nook and dressed only in the shirt and a pair of socks. He stared at her for a minute, a look of awe and love on his face, before declaring that it was her shirt now and he expected her to wear it on a regular basis. Nanao had laughed and let him kiss her.

Nanao tugged at her collar again, shaking her head to clear it of memories. There was still much to do before she could go home. She fingered the worn fabric and smiled. The shirt should probably be replaced, but there too many memories tied up in for her to even try. Besides, she still got the same reaction out of Shunsui whenever she wore it.

"Nanao, quit daydreaming and help met get the booths set up!" Rangiku called.

She laughed and got back to work.


End file.
